Family-size frozen entrees are the epitome of convenience. Simply nuke them at speed in the microwave or bake them in the oven for a crispier finish to get an effortless time-saving dinner on the table. From classic baked ziti and burritos to enchiladas and pad thai, the large variety and quantity of these dishes makes them perfect for feeding ravenous teens and adults alike. What’s more, the best frozen meals make superb leftovers that can be refrigerated and eaten the next day. However, according to our taste test, there’s one family-size frozen meal you should totally avoid at the grocery store: Michael Angelo’s vegetable lasagna.
The losing contender in our list of 14 family size frozen meals, ranked, we found every element in this lasagna to be lacking. The over-abundant noodles were chewy and the assortment of veggies (cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, and broccoli) were watery and had an inadequate texture. While a good sauce and a generous amount of cheese can often rescue even the most tasteless of veggie lasagnas, Michael Angelo’s version couldn’t be saved. The ricotta in between the pasta sheets was salty and the layer of mozzarella on the top stuck to the plastic film covering the dish, which meant we didn’t benefit from its gooey cheese pull. Finally, the tomato sauce itself was overly sweet and the proportion was stingy.
Michael Angelo customers want the old vegetable lasagna recipe back
On the Michael Angelo website many customers are similarly unhappy with this veggie lasagna, citing many of the same concerns as our taste taster found. Some have even requested that the brand go back to its old recipe that they found to be more flavorful. One reviewer commented, “how much pasta do we need? There is much more pasta, veggies cannot be replaced by pasta. This has now been downgraded to any other frozen lasagna unfortunately. Please please go back to the old recipe, it showed quality and wonderfully flavorful ingredients.”
Take our advice and either make your own crockpot vegetable lasagna or select the winner in our taste test instead: Zatarain’s frozen blackened chicken Alfredo. While this offering was more expensive than the other family-sized meals we tried, it was the best without question. The al dente penne was generously sized and there was an awesome ratio of protein to pasta. Moreover, the chunks of grilled chicken were spiced in a complex Creole-style seasoning that featured spicy red pepper and paprika, which made us wonder why there aren’t more grocery store meals with a Cajun vibe available in the freezer aisle. The bag includes six servings, which means it can easily feed a large family. Plus it’s ready to eat with a quick five-minute spin in the microwave.
